English: Recent Episodes
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English at Southampton covers a wide chronological range, from the early Middle Ages to contemporary writing, and is interdisciplinary in its approach. This collection introduces the Chawton House Library audio series, with a focus on the work of eighteenth century women writers including Jane Austen. Invited authors, such as Lebanese author, Hanan Al-Shaykh, read extracts from, and discuss their novels. Thinking about studying English? Watch our student experience videos for insight into the diversity of the subject at Humanities.
Four scholars of Austen discussed her best-loved novel, with a variety of talks focusing on her style, on reception and legacy, on her life and times, and on 20th and 21st century adaptations. Dr Shelley Cobb, Lecturer of English and Film at the University of Southampton, spoke about how Pride and Prejudice had been portrayed on film and TV, from conventional treatments to the adoption of its themes in Bridget Jones Diary; her talk included amusing and illuminating video clips.
The day was organised by Dr Gillian Dow, Director of Research at Chawton House Library and Southampton lecturer. It ended at Jane Austen's House Museum, with a selection of readings from the novel by Elizabeth Garvie, the actress who played Elizabeth Bennet in the 1980 BBC production of Pride and Prejudice.
Dr Bharat Tandon from the University of East Anglia, is the author of Jane Austen and the Morality of Conversation (2003) and a judge for the 2012 Man Booker Prize for Fiction. He was one of the speakers at the study day. Listen to his talk: I do not write for such dull Elves: Finding Voices in Pride and Prejudice.
Professor Colin Jones (Queen Mary University of London) has delivered the first John Rule Memorial Lecture, commemorating the former Southampton historian.
He delighted his audience with a lively illustrated talk on the life and work of Charles-Germain de Saint-Aubin (1721-86), a Parisian luxury embroiderer with an extensive clientele at Louis XV’s court.
In particular, he spoke of Saint-Aubin’s home-made book of humorous and scandalous drawings, many mocking leading Frenchmen and women including Madame de Pompadour, the King’s official mistress.
The book was discovered in the library of Waddesdon Manor in Buckinghamshire, a National Trust property. It has now been digitised and is freely available to inspect online. To see the images, click here http://www.waddesdon.org.uk/collection/special-projects/st.-aubin
Eighteenth century poet, novelist, translator, orator and playwright Mrs Penelope Aubin was thre subject of the latest evening lecture at Chawton House Library.
Dr Debbie Welham of the University of Winchester spoke about Mrs Aubin's life and times and described her fascination with her. She also describes her research into this absorbing character which took her to the Caribbean and the west coast of the United States.
Click here to listen to the full lecture
Eighteenth century poet, novelist, translator, orator and playwright Mrs Penelope Aubin was thre subject of the latest evening lecture at Chawton House Library.
Dr Debbie Welham of the University of Winchester spoke about Mrs Aubin's life and times and described her fascination with her. She also describes her research into this absorbing character which took her to the Caribbean and the west coast of the United States.
Click here to listen to the interview
Writer and broadcaster Delia Jarrett Macauley won the 2005 Orwell Prize for her novel on child soldiers in Africa called "Moses, Citizen and Me". She has also written a biography of Una Marson, who was probably one of the earliest black broadcasters on the BBC in the 1930s and 40s. Delia was impressed by Una's drive and determination and the way the woman from the small community of Jamaica succeeded in London at a time of considerable prejudice.
To listen to an interview with Delia click here
The events were set up by Godfrey Brandt, Director of the Diverse Arts and Artist Communities Association in Southampton.
To listen to the report on the whole event please click here
"Observe her Heedfully": Family, Friendship and a Lady's Life of Reading
Researchers are becoming increasingly interested in the practice of reading. One keen reader who kept notes on her favourite books was Elizabeth Rose of Kilravock, the self-styled Queen of eighteenth-century Nairnshire in Scotland. Her letters and notebooks provide a rare insight into the reading habits of a female reader who lived in rural isolation.
Historian Dr Mark Towsey from the University of Liverpool is interested in her life and times.
Click here to hear an interview with Mark:
"Observe her Heedfully": Family, Friendship and a Lady's Life of Reading
Researchers are becoming increasingly interested in the practice of reading. One keen reader who kept notes on her favourite books was Elizabeth Rose of Kilravock, the self-styled Queen of eighteenth-century Nairnshire in Scotland. Her letters and notebooks provide a rare insight
into the reading habits of a female reader who lived in rural isolation.
Historian Dr Mark Towsey from the University of Liverpool is interested in her life and times.
Click here to hear his lecture at Chawton House Library
As part of a Humanities initiative, Professor Ros King and Patrick Sandford, Artistic Director of the Nuffield Theatre, have been developing new approaches to teaching Shakespeare in the classroom, through innovative workshop sessions held for teachers at the Nuffield Theatre, based at the University campus.
Denise Greenfield talks about her reasons for returning to study as a mature student, and for choosing to study a research programme in English at Southampton.
Student Beth Stephens talks about her experience of studying an English programme at Southampton.
As part of the Chawton House Library Seminar Series; Gina Luria Walker, Professor of Women's Studies at the New School in New York, discusses the link between Austen and Hays, and asks if there are convergences between the two writers.
Author Hanan Al-Shaykh talks about the Lebanese novel and her life as a writer; and reads extracts from her novel: the Story of Zahra and Beirut Blues.
Listen to sound-clips from the Humanities winter graduation ceremony, recorded in 2009.
As part of the Chawton House Library Seminar Series; the three hundredth birthday of the novelist Sarah Fielding (sister of the more famous Henry) was marked at Chawton House, with a talk by Professor Isobel Grundy of the University of Alberta, Canada.
For more than 20 years, the University of Southampton Library has held in its Special Collections Division the Broadlands Archives. The archive contains some 4,500 boxes, dating from the sixteenth century to the present, centred on the Temple (Palmerston), Ashley, Cassel and Mountbatten families.
Learn more about Postgraduate research opportunities in English, and the research culture at Southampton.
As part of the Chawton House Library Seminar Series; Professor Barbara Benedict of Trinity College, Connecticut, USA, is interviewed on the gender about novels from 1770 - 1830.
Author Rana Dasgupta presents a seminar on migration and writing; and reads extracts from his novel: Tokyo Cancelled.
As part of the Chawton House Library Seminar Series; Professor Barbara Benedict of Trinity College, Connecticut, USA, discusses fiction and gender; she asks whether novels 'by a Lady' differ from those which are not; and how the gender of readers shapes the reception of novels.
As part of the Chawton House Library Seminar Series; Dr Gillian Dow discusses Chawton House Library; and the eighteenth century women writers connected to the library